Captain Kathryn Bryce not only secured her unbeaten half-century but also delivered impressive bowling figures of 1/16, leading Scotland to a solid 24-run victory over the Netherlands in the rain-affected fifth match of the home T20I tri-series at the Grange Cricket Club Ground on Wednesday.
This win marked Scotland's third in the series, allowing them to top the standings with six points from four matches, leaving both the Netherlands and Bangladesh trailing with just two points after three games.
Due to rain, the match was shortened to 12 overs per side. After winning the toss, the Netherlands captain chose to field first a decision that didn’t pay off as the home team racked up 124/3 in their allotted overs, thanks to Bryce's explosive half-century. Bryce was the standout performer for Scotland, scoring an unbeaten 63 off just 33 balls, featuring nine fours and a six.
She also played a vital role in partnerships with opener Katherine Fraser and wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce, who contributed 29 and 23 not out, respectively. For the Netherlands, Heather Siegers, Iris Zwilling, and Caroline de Lange each managed to take one wicket.
Following another rain delay, the match was further shortened to 10 overs, with the Netherlands facing a revised target of 105. Unfortunately for the visitors, they could only manage 80 runs in the allotted overs, marking their second defeat in the T20I tri-series.
Middle-order batter Sterre Kalis was the top scorer for the Netherlands, anchoring the innings with 28 off 22 balls, while captain de Leede (14) and opener Heather Siegers (15) were the only other players to reach double figures.
Chloe Abel led Scotland's bowling attack, taking two wickets for just eight runs in her two overs, while Olivia Bell, Priyanaz Chatterji, and Bryce each chipped in with one wicket. For her outstanding all-round performance, Bryce was named the Player of the Match in Scotland's title-clinching victory.